[katana]

A title ironically that Henry held for awhile after writing and publishing his own Defense of the Seven Sacraments, an energetic condemnation of Luther. Henry was never really a Protestant. A scheming and greedy megalomaniac who wanted the monastic lands and riches in his pocket? Yes. Protestant in the manner of Luther, Calvin, or even his weakling son Edward and occasionally treated as a bastard daughter Elizabeth? No.

[tumblindice]

I seem to recall that Pope Peter O’Toole gave Francis the title after Henry killed an English cardinal and Tom More for refusing to sign on with the ‘Henry is Head of the Church’ drive.
Then Francis was surprised in Rome, encouraged to wage war on England.

It must give the Catholic church some satisfaction that the protest-ants came to be, or sprang from Henry’s overheated loins/libido. And desire for heirs.
I never understood why Rome never came to the conclusion, “You know what? We think he means it.”
The pope at the time being a ‘guest’ of Catherine’s uncle Charles prolly had a lot to do with it.